Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02) is pleased to announce a grant awarded to Beginning New Outreach, a Columbus, Georgia non-profit, to help provide mentoring for youth affected by the opioid crisis and drug abuse. The $622,903 grant is being awarded through the U.S. Department of Justice’s Mentoring for Youth Affected by the Opioid Crisis and Drug Addiction program, which serves to reduce substance abuse, juvenile delinquency, and other negative outcomes for young people. Beginning New Outreach also was awarded a $421,145 grant by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services at the end of September for sexual risk avoidance education (SRAE).

“Our children face many obstacles as they navigate their youth into adulthood. Having strong community support programs helps ensure they have the information and resources needed to make healthy choices and increase their likelihood for success into adulthood,” said Congressman Bishop. “These federal funds are an important investment in the well-being of our communities, which is why it is important that Congress continues to robustly fund them in the annual appropriations process.”

“Beginning New Outreach is excited about the opportunity to serve the youth and families in this community! We greatly appreciate all of the support and assistance that has been provided to us and this district by Congressman Sanford Bishop,” said TreNise Holloway, CEO of Beginning New Outreach.

The Mentoring Opioid Affected Youth Grant will help Beginning New Outreach provide ongoing mentoring for approximately 200 youth annually.  They will target youth, ages 11-17, who are currently abusing or addicted to drugs, at risk for abusing, or have family members who abuse drugs.  With the support of this grant, Beginning New Outreach will provide Substance Abuse Prevention Program curriculum paired with Positive Youth Development and mentor relationships. The program will help participants voluntarily refrain from use of illegal substances (specifically opioid related substances), as well as promote emotional well-being and healthy transitions to adulthood.

Beginning New Outreach is using the SRAE Grant to target at-risk youth, ages 10 -18, living in Muscogee, Talbot and Quitman Counties. The project will deliver evidence-based sexual risk avoidance education curriculum as well as positive youth development topics to help participants voluntarily refrain from non-marital sexual activity, prevent teen pregnancy and sexually-transmitted infections, and make healthy transitions to adulthood.